There was no help for it. I had to wait till the man came up.

"All is well!" I said, in a low voice.

"But who are you?—why——!"

Before he could speak again or raise his musket. I struck him heavily. He fell like a log of wood, senseless, inert. I lifted my hand to strike again; but it is hard striking an unconscious man, and I refrained. Besides I felt sure it would be some time before he would regain his wits again, meanwhile I should be perhaps a mile on my way.

I therefore left him lying there, while I sped through the woods like a deer. Who he was I knew not, but I suspected that he was some follower of the Killigrews, who watched while his masters discussed their plans within the house.

I had but a vague idea of the right direction, for the trees were dark and high, and I was not much acquainted with this part of the country. Nevertheless, being country-bred, and having often to travel by night, I did not fear going far wrong. In half an hour I reached a lane, and then I took my bearings.

Listening, I heard the splash of the waves on the sea-coast near. This I knew lay southwest, so I was able to choose my direction without difficulty. Tregothnan lay a good many miles southward; I heeded not the distances, however,[Pg 331] my one purpose was to reach Hugh Boscawen's house without mishap. Once out in the open country the night was not dark, and I felt no weariness. My fear was that Otho Killigrew should overtake me. I was sure that the man I had struck down would relate his adventure, and that Otho Killigrew, in spite of what Uncle Anthony had said, was as clever as the devil himself. Moreover, as I rushed on, I could not help believing that the man had recognized me. Possibly he had come from Endellion, and had seen me there. This lent wings to my feet, for should Otho and his satellites follow me on horseback, I should be in a sore predicament. Presently my fear became a terror. If the man had recognized me, and had revealed the fact to the Killigrews and Uncle Anthony, would they not connect my presence with Mistress Nancy? For a moment my heart ceased to beat, but presently comfort came. My love, in spite of her youth, was no simpering, helpless chit of a maid. She would know how to hold her own; with old Adam as her friend she could outwit all the Killigrews. Then another thought came to me which assured me much. I was confident that Uncle Anthony was the maid's friend. I called to mind a dozen things which had happened during the time I was with him on Roche Rock. I remembered the way he spoke when he was left wounded and helpless in the old chapel in the parish of St. Mawgan. Their purposes might be one with regard to the Catholic faith and the coming of Charles Stuart, but I felt sure that the mysterious[Pg 332] old man loved Mistress Nancy, and that he loved not Otho Killigrew.

This made me feel kindly towards him, and although I had it from his own lips that he had been spending his life in preparation for the coming of the Pretender, I thought of many plans whereby I might be able to help him, if I reached Hugh Boscawen.

While these thoughts passed through my mind, I rushed on with unabated speed. The morning had only just begun to dawn, and no one had molested me. I therefore began to have hopes that I should fulfil my mission without mishap. Just as I caught the first glimpse of the rising sun, however, they were rudely dispelled.

I had at this moment just reached the brow of a hill, and saw the entrance gates to one of the roads which led to Hugh Boscawen's house. They were not much more than a mile distant, and I fancied that, once inside them, my dangers would be over. By this time, as may be imagined, I was sore spent, for I had run a great part of the way. I therefore contented myself with walking down the hill towards the gates, but had not gone far when I heard the sound of galloping horses. Turning, I saw two men riding towards me. They were Otho Killigrew and another man.

I started to run, holding my sheathed sword in my left hand, but I saw that such a course would be useless. They were evidently well mounted, and I was spent and weary. Each side of me great hedges towered up, covered with hazel[Pg 333] bushes. If I tried to escape into the fields by climbing over one of them, they would shoot me like a dog.

"Stop!" cried Otho.

For answer I cocked one of the pistols Mistress Nancy had given me. At least I would fight to the very last. Otho saw my action, and a second later two pistol-bullets whizzed by me, one tearing the sleeve of my coat. Evidently both of them had fired. Perhaps the movements of the horses had caused them to miss their aim. My hands trembled because of my long journey, otherwise I was fairly calm. I fired at Otho. Seeing my action, he spurred his horse furiously, and my bullet just escaped him—instead it struck the horse of the man who accompanied him. This made the animal rear and plunge mightily, and a second later the fellow lay sprawling on the ground. The horse, however, after some capering, galloped madly away.

"Come," I thought, "this is good work," and lifting my other pistol I shot at Otho's steed, rather than at its rider. I thought the bullet struck the animal, but Otho was a better horseman than his companion. He kept his seat firmly.

I had now no weapon save my sword, for there was no time to re-load, so I started running again, taking as many turns as a hare in the road, so as to give Otho as little chance as possible to take aim. Another bullet whizzed by, and still I was unharmed. I wondered how much ammunition he had, and in spite of my danger I hoped that I should come well out of the business. For if it[Pg 334] became a question of swords, I had no fear. Otho was no swordsman, while his companion, as far as I could judge, was only a common serving-man, who would have but little knowledge of fencing.

I heard another pistol shot, and at that very moment I felt something strike my side and burn me, as though a red-hot knife had been placed on my flesh.

In spite of my struggles to stand upright, I stumbled and fell. In falling I struck my head against a stone which stunned me somewhat.

"Ah!" I heard Otho say, "that is well. Come, Juliff, we shall soon settle this business."

In spite of my fall I kept my eyes open, and saw Otho dismount. He seemed in great good humour, for he laughed aloud, while his companion limped slowly after him. He drew his sword as he came near me, and never did I see such a look of devilish gloating as rested on his face at that moment. The man seemed utterly changed. He was no longer the slow-speaking, almost religious-looking man I had known. His eyes burned red, and he laughed in such a way that for the moment I forgot the burning pain at my side.

"It is my turn now, Roger Trevanion," he said, and his voice fairly trembled with passion. "And he who laughs last laughs best. You have beaten me many times. Oh yes, I'll give you your due. You've beaten me many times. You are a man with brains, that I will admit, but so is Otho Killigrew. You got away from Endellion and took Nancy with you, that's once; you mastered[Pg 335] me at the inn up by St. Mawgan, that's twice; you got away from Launceston Castle after you knew I should gain your freedom, and that's three times. And now my turn hath come!"

These last words came slowly, and seemed to pass through his set teeth; this I noticed, although I was still somewhat dazed by my fall.

"You are in my power, Master Roger Trevanion," and he held his sword close to me, "and now before I make you swallow six inches of steel, I will tell you something else: Mistress Nancy Molesworth is in my power too. And this I will add: Otho Killigrew's intentions are no longer honourable, for reasons that you can guess as well as I."

There was such a fiendish tone in his voice, and his words gave me such a shock, that my strength came back to me as if by a miracle. Before he could hinder me I had at one bound leapt to my feet and drawn my sword. The pistol shot no longer hurt me one whit; my right arm felt no weakness.

"They do laugh best who laugh last," I cried; whereupon I attacked him violently, and as he was no swordsman he fell back from me.

"Juliff, Juliff," he cried, but Juliff was so crippled by his fall that he was no longer able to help his master. Then a strange light came into his eyes, and his guard became weaker and weaker, until I wondered what it meant, for all the Killigrews were fighters in one way or another.

I do not say that Otho Killigrew was not a brave man. In the ordinary meaning of the word, he[Pg 336] knew no fear, and could meet death as bravely as another. But directly he knew that my wound was not mortal, and that I had retained my mastery of the sword, he became a schemer and a plotter again. In short, the Otho Killigrew who thought I was powerless and the Otho Killigrew whose sword clashed against mine were two different men. Keeping one eye on me, he gave a glance at Juliff who had dragged himself to the hedge side. Evidently the man had broken some limb in his fall from the horse, for one arm hung limp, and he groaned loudly.

For my own part I had no mercy in my heart, and I had made up my mind to kill him. That I was able to do this I had no manner of doubt. As I have said he was no swordsman, and although my side ached sorely, the sinews of my right arm seemed like steel bands. But for those words he had spoken about Nancy, I should have contented myself with disabling him by a flesh wound, but remembering what he had said, I felt I could be satisfied with nothing less than his death. I think he saw this as he looked into my eyes; for his face became pale and ashen; and he gasped like a man whose throat is nearly choked.

"He who laughs last laughs best," I repeated grimly, and then he was certain that he would get no mercy from me.

He was not like his brother Benet. That giant would never dream of yielding, his one thought would be to fight to the very last—but Otho, as I said, had again become cool and calculating. Doubtless he remembered how much depended[Pg 337] on him, and thought how the cause he loved needed him. Anyhow he took to his heels, and ran rapidly in the direction of Restormel.